Classic Trailer Rewatch: Wacky Sci-Fi Movie ‘Laserblast’ from 1978
by Alex Billington
March 11, 2025
Source: YouTube
“It’s an adventure unlike anything on this planet!” Who needs a dose of super low budget, extra wacky fun science fiction from the 70s? Try this on for size! Laserblast is a hilariously bonkers, trashy fun, vintage 70s sci-fi film made by Michael Rae about a kid who gets hold of an alien laser weapon. This looks totally rad! Featuring some crazy cool stop-motion alien characters, clunky special effects and obvious sets, terrible acting and everything else you’d expect from something this schlocky. The film was also mocked in “Mystery Science Theater 3000” once before, turning it into a fan favorite. Ostracized teenager, Billy, finds a laser gun and terrorizes the town with it as he mutates with each blast. Now it’s a race against time before the aliens return to claim the weapon… and his life. Starring Kim Milford as Billy, Cheryl Smith, Gianni Russo, Keenan Wynn, Dennis Burkley, and the Roddy McDowall. Yep this looks like every sci-fi fan needs to watch this – if you’re not already a major fan. For those ready to click play, there’s a remastered version of Laserblast available on Prime Video and it’s also out for streaming on a few other sites as well. Lock & load.
Here’s the retro trailer (+ two posters) for Michael Rae’s sci-fi Laserblast, on YouTube (via GeekTyrant):
Laserblast is a 1978 American science fiction film about an unhappy teenage loner who discovers an alien laser cannon. Alien creatures kill a mutated alien creature in the California desert. Its remains, and the high-tech laser gun and power source accidentally left behind there, are found by an ostracized teenager. However, the power source causes the teenager to mutate too, and he goes on a murderous rampage… Laserblast is directed by indie filmmaker Michael Rae, his very first feature film at the time (he would later go on to make Sci-Fi Slaughter in 2005 and Aliens Gone Wild in 2006). The screenplay is written by Franne Schacht and Frank Ray Perilli. It’s produced by Charles Band and J. Larry Carroll. The film initially opened in theaters in March 1978 in the US. It also played at the 1978 Trieste Science+Fiction Festival in Italy that year. According to JustWatch, the film is available to stream on Prime Video and other sites now.
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